As the National Youth Advisor for the Steve Fund, my primary responsibilities include overseeing the Youth Advisory Board, providing comprehensive feedback on new and existing Steve Fund programming, and joining in on additional projects as needed! I also support the Steve Fund with contact database management. Last summer, I began the inaugural Youth Advisory Board and managed a group of nine college students across the country. The Youth Advisory Board provides critical feedback to Steve Fund programming and works on assignments designed to support the Steve Fund’s mission of promoting the mental health of students of color. The application for the 2017-2018 Youth Advisory Board is now open!

I initially began working with the Steve Fund in 2014 the summer after my first year of college at Yale University. Stephanie Bell-Rose, the founder of the organization, was a close friend of my family and knew of my interest in raising awareness about mental health issues for young people of color in particular. She talked to me about the organization while it was still in its “idea” phase and I was immediately inspired and excited to help out however possible. It is incredible to see how much the Steve Fund has grown in only three years.

My passion for this work is fueled by the necessity and importance of supporting marginalized individuals of color who are not only battling with the everyday instances of micro-aggressions, racism, xenophobia, and trauma but also may be struggling with a variety of mental health issues. Supporting the mental health and emotional well-being of my peers and our communities is essential in creating a more inclusive and harmonious society.

At the end of this summer I hope to finalize the next cohort of the Youth Advisory Board and identify two new Co-Chairs to lead the Board’s efforts! I also hope to optimize our digital presence and database management software by exploring new platforms that would benefit the Steve Fund as we continue to grow in size and in impact. In terms of long term goals, I hope the Steve Fund becomes a key player in improving mental health support and resources for people of color across the country, and eventually, across the globe.

Our mission: Promoting the mental health and emotional well-being of students of color. Sign up for Updates